– Proceeds to Benefit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children –

NEW YORK CITY, June 11 – Tavern on the Green, the New York City landmark restaurant in Central Park, just announced a partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), an organization dedicated to protecting children from abduction and sexual exploitation. Under the agreement, Tavern on the Green will launch an exclusive line of branded sauces, marinades, and dipping oils, available through a new company called Tavern Direct.com,whose goal is to donate 25 percent of its profits to NCMEC. “Extending our brand name for a cause is the right thing for us to do,” said Jennifer Oz LeRoy, proprietor, Tavern on the Green. “By supporting such a worthwhile organization, we have a chance to create a measurable change in the lives of many children and families across the country.”

TavernDirect.com is responsible for manufacturing, distributing and marketing these gourmet food products, with the goal of providing consistent financial support for NCMEC. They’re now available through TavernDirect.com’s Web site which features all the branded gourmet specialty food items; the Tavern on the Green gift stores in New York City and Wellington, Florida; Wegmans, a major grocery retailer in the Northeast; Wilson Farms/Sugar Creek convenience stores in the Northeast; Total Wine and Bottle King on the East Coast. American Express also sells the products through its employee- and customer-incentive programs.

“I believe this partnership with Tavern on the Green restaurant and TavernDirect.com will go a long way in assisting NCMEC with their efforts to help prevent child abduction and exploitation,” said John Walsh, co-founder of NCMEC and host of “America’s Most Wanted.”

Twelve products are now available, including three signature sauces: the “1870 Steak Sauce,” marking the year the Tavern was built; the “Central Park Signature Dipping Oil;” and the “Chandelier Chardonnay Marinade.” Products range in cost from $7.99 – $10.00 for individual bottles to $33.95 for a gift box of the three signature products. Each product is all natural and has no an artificial flavor or coloring added. Gift sets that include wine from the Finger Lakes Region’s Heron Hill Winery are also available online starting at $49.95.

“Research shows that people are craving diverse, rich flavored foods,” said Howie Jacobson, partner, TavernDirect.com. “The market for marinades, sauces, and similar products is at an all-time high with consumers being encouraged to cook at home by chefs, grocery chains, and cooking shows. We expect many retailers to come on board to support these products and NCMEC’s cause.

NCMEC is a private, nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization that works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. NCMEC’s congressionally mandated CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for child sexual exploitation, has handled more than 475,000 leads. Since its establishments in 1984, NCMEC has assisted law enforcement with more than 130,300 missing child cases, resulting in the recovery of more than 112,900 children. For more information about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST, or visit its Web site at http://www.missingkids.com

Tavern on the Green is one of America’s top grossing restaurants, serving between 2,000 – 4,000 meals a day, and more than a half million people per year. Tavern on the Green is located on Central Park at West 67th Street. For more information, visit http://www.tavernonthegreen.com or call (212) 873-3200.